FROM THE FIELD: Weathering Drought

By now, nearly everyone has heard about the drought conditions plaguing many regions of the United States this summer.

And if you’re operating a landscape maintenance company in one of those areas, then you’ve noticed much of the plant material you’re taking care of is off-color and wilting, especially during the hottest periods of the day.

So how can we best tend to the needs of these green spaces and our clients?
 
Turf usually shows drought symptoms before trees and shrubs. For turf, symptoms manifest in grass becoming gray to brownish in color. When the lawn is walked on you will see the foot steps from the lack of interior cellular pressure.
 
There are some common myths to be aware of when managing turf through drought conditions. First, do not give up on fertilizing  during low-water conditions. Fertilizing is very beneficial with a nitrogen and potassium ratio of 1:1. Likewise, using slow release fertilizers reduces burn potential. Also, using iron promotes color without promoting growth.
 
Next, it’s OK to cut the turf as long as you don’t mow more than one third of the grass blade off, which will stress the plant. Likewise, don’t mow during the hottest parts of the day, cut with a sharp blade and refrain from blanket applications of herbicides or quick release high-nitrogen products to stressed lawns. If weed control is needed, it is best to use a spot-spray strategy to address the problem.
 
Another popular misconception is a brown lawn is a dead lawn. Turf will brown when it goes into dormancy to reduce water consumption. In fact, infrequent deep water is the best strategy for turf during drought times.
 
Reducing irrigation to as little as a half-inch of water over a two-week period may be enough to prevent dehydration of the crowns, rhizomes and roots. And if the lawn does not receive at least 1 inch of water during a four- to five-week period when it is dormant, sever dehydration can lead to death.
 
With trees and ornamental shrubs you’ll notice wilting during the heat of the day and leaf margins browning from the edges toward the mid vein. If the drought is serious enough, defoliation will occur and deep, infrequent watering will be the key to keeping them healthy.
 
Annuals will often be the first plants to show drought conditions due to their immature shallow root systems. Generally they will be stunted and wilted.
 
Ultimately, educating the customer is the best strategy a contractor can employ to weather drought conditions.
 
Ideally, you’ve performed your due diligence and discussed drought potentials with your clients. You’ve convinced clients to aerate heavily thatched lawns in the fall and/or early spring. Likewise, you’ve added soil polymers when planting trees and shrubs and moisture retaining products to the turf to help retain moisture at the root zones. Maybe you’ve even incorporated drought-resistant plant types in your landscape designs.
 
While these measures are all good starting points, many times, though, the client education process starts when lawns go off color. Let clients know what the best course of action is during this time period and give them the straight facts of what they can expect, both visibly and economically.
 
Also, consider investing in a soil probe. They’re great tools for showing the customers what the moisture is in the soil core. Lastly, consider employing wetting agents which help water penetrate hydrophobic soil conditions by reducing surface tensions. Good luck.

J.B. Toorish and Brian Kelley are part of LESCO’s Tech Services Department. They can be reached at fromthefield@gie.net or at 800/321-5325 ext. 6150 to answer technical questions.